Effect of the addition of poly(D-lactic acid) on the thermal property of poly(L-lactic acid)

Thermal property and crystallization behavior of PLLA blended with a small amount of PDLA (1-5 wt%) were studied. PDLA molecules added in PLLA formed stereocomplex crystallites in the PLLA matrix. When the blend was cooled to a temperature below T-m of PLLA, stereocomplex crystallites acted as nucleation sites of PLLA and enhanced the crystallization of PLLA significantly (heterogeneous nucleation). Such crystallization enhancement was not observed when the blend with lower PDLA content was cooled from 240 degreesC at which both PLLA crystal and the stercocomplex disappeared. Low molecular weight PDLA isolated in the matrix of PLLA did not form a stereocomplex crystallite with a large surface area enough to act as a nucleation site. On the other hand, high molecular weight PDLA chains formed a large stereocomplex crystallite. With increasing PDLA content, stereocomplex crystallites were more easily formed and they acted as nucleation sites. PLLA crystal near the stereocomplex crystallites has an incomplete structure and showed a melting peak at a lower temperature than pure PLLA crystal. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.